Herman P. Faris was born in 1858 and became a banker in Missouri. However, he was a committed proponent of the temperance movement. He served for many years as treasurer of the Prohibition National Committee, was twice the Prohibition Party candidate for governor of Missouri, and was the party's candidate for president of the United States in 1924. National Prohibition existed in the country from January of 1920 to December of 1933, at which time its repeal became effective. He died in 1936.

Herman P. Faris, the subject of this sketch, first saw the light of day December 25, 1858, on a farm just out of Belfontaine, Ohio, being the seventh child of Samuel Davies and Sarah (Plumer) Faris. In the fail of 1859 the family removed to a farm near Lawrence, Kansas, where through an unfortunate investment the small patrimony was lost and from that time until Herman reached his maturity, it was a struggle with the family to keep the wolf from the door. Also as a further handicap, the entire second year of the young life was spent in serious illness, more than once the doctor thinking life was extinct. Also the country being new, the main product seemed to be that of malaria, or as it was commonly called "chills and fever," from which ailment Herman suffered regularly each spring and fall until past nineteen years of age. He first entered school at seven years in Lecompton, the former capitol of the State. One of his very early vivid recollections was seeing the smoke from the fire created by Quantrell and his band when they sacked the "Yankee" town of Lawrence. In 1867 the family removed to Clinton, Missouri, "trekking" the entire distance in the old fashioned prairie schooners from Lecompton, Kansas. In the new home. Herman attended school spasmodically as his health would permit, until January, 1872, when he entered a printing office as "devil" In January, 1873, the paper for which he was working ... closed... This left him free to again enter school for the remaining three months of that winter's term. In July 1873, he entered the real estate, loan and abstract office of Brinkerhoff & Smith, being in the same office until April, 1878, when he was offered a better position, so resigned. The latter end of the year he went to Colorado, where in a few months' time he obtained a degree of health to which he had all his life been a stranger, and from that day to the present time, has had a remarkably healthy career, doing work that few physical natures could have stood up under. After a year's absence from the office, Mr. Brinkerhoff, the then proprietor, induced the young man to return, which he did in April, 1879, and accepted the position of chief clerk. In 1882, Mr. Brinkerhoff removed to Carthage and Herman purchased an interest in the business and became a partner in the firm of Brinkerhoff and Faris. In 1887 the business was incorporated under the name of the Brinkerhoff-Faris Trust & Savings Company, and Mr. Faris was elected to the position of Secretary-Treasurer, and became practically the manager of the business. In 1889 Mr. Brinkerhoff desiring to retire, Mr. John H. Lucas, the renowned lawyer of Osceola and Kansas City ... purchased the Brinkerhoff stock and Mr. Lucas was elected president. Mr. Faris ... continued in the active management of the business of that institution ever since, it being now over forty-five years since he first entered the office. Mr. Faris has not permitted the business to absorb all of his time and energies, but he has devoted much of both, to the advancement of the Prohibition cause, of which he is justly regarded as the "nestor" in the State of Missouri. He had also a national reputation, and has for many years been treasurer of the Prohibition National Committee. Has twice been the nominee of the Prohibition party as Governor of his State and is very happy at this time over the result of his labors and those of his comrades. In April, 1889, he was married at Trinidad, Colorado, to Miss Adda Winters, the only daughter of Rev. Jacob R. Winters and wife. To this union were born five children, three girls who grew to maturity, and are still living. Two sons having died in infancy. After nearly thirty years of happy married life, such as few people are blessed with, Mrs. Faris went home in June, 1909. In February, 1911, Mr. Faris was again married to Mrs. Sallie A. Lewis, of Dallas, Texas. Mr. Faris has been identified with all the business, religious and philanthropic movements of his home town and State, since early manhood and no event of moment looking toward the betterment of the town has been put over without his active support. He has been actively connected with all the recent war drives, as one of the "four minute men," "campaign manager," etc., etc. Although now past sixty years of age, he is an active and full of "pep" as the average forty-year old.

Died in an automobile accident; while driving, his car hit a bridge near Deepwater MO. Had joined the Prohibition Party in 1884.